Diiculty Level: Moderate
52. When government is divided rather than uniied, which of the
following is true?
a. Not much important legislation is passed.
b. Just as much important legislation is passed.
c. Far more important legislation is passed.
d. Legislation comes to a standstill.
Topic: Checking Power with Power
Learning Objective: LO 2.2: Analyze how the Constitution
grants, limits, separates, and balances governmental power.
Page Reference: 55 – 56
Skill Level: Analyze It
Diiculty Level: Diicult
53. How did the Federalists react when they were defeated by
Thomas Jeferson in 1800?
a. They proposed an amendment to the Constitution that would
weaken Jeferson’s role.
b. They tried to retain power through the judiciary by packing it
with their appointees.
c. They were not concerned, as they still had control of both
houses of Congress.
d. They applied to the Supreme Court for a writ of mandamus to
prevent Jeferson from being inaugurated.
Topic: Judicial Review and the “Guardians of the Constitution”
Learning Objective: LO 2.3: Explain how the use of judicial
review strengthens the courts in a separation of powers system.
Page Reference: 58 – 59
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
Diiculty Level: Moderate
54. Which of the following is a method of ratiication for a
constitutional amendment?
a. by three-fourths of the state legislatures
b. by three-fourths of the state governors
c. by three-fourths of voting-age citizens
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d. by half of the state legislatures
Topic: Changing the Letter of the Constitution
Learning Objective: LO 2.5: Describe the processes by which
formal changes to the Constitution can be made.
Page Reference: 65
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
Diiculty Level: Moderate
55. Recent political science research indicates that a divided system
of government leads to which of the following when compared
to other systems of government?
a. a stronger economy
b. more political corruption
c. more protests
d. better performance
Topic: Checking Power with Power
Learning Objective: LO 2.2: Analyze how the Constitution
grants, limits, separates, and balances governmental power.
Page Reference: 55 – 56
Skill Level: Analyze It
Diiculty Level: Diicult
True–False Questions
56. When the Constitution was adopted, it granted judges the power
of judicial review.
Topic: Judicial Review and the “Guardians of the Constitution”
Learning Objective: LO 2.3: Explain how the use of judicial
review strengthens the courts in a separation of powers system.
Page Reference: 58
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
Diiculty Level: Easy
41
57. In spite of changes in technology, today’s system of checks and
balances operates approximately the same way it did when it
was created.
Topic: Checking Power with Power
Learning Objective: LO 2.2: Analyze how the Constitution
grants, limits, separates, and balances governmental power.
Page Reference: 56 – 57
Skill Level: Analyze It
Diiculty Level: Diicult
58. Although the public accepts and reveres the Constitution, many
U.S. citizens do not know what is in it.
Topic: Views of the Constitution
Learning Objective: LO 2.1: Describe the basic structure of
the Constitution and its Bill of Rights.
Page Reference: 50
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
Diiculty Level: Easy
59. Generally, the Electoral College does not function the way the
Framers intended.
Topic: Checking Power with Power
Learning Objective: LO 2.2: Analyze how the Constitution
grants, limits, separates, and balances governmental power.
Page Reference: 56
Skill Level: Analyze It
Diiculty Level: Diicult
60. Although the Federalists were inluential in getting the
Constitution ratiied, they never had any actual control over the
national government.
Topic: Judicial Review and the “Guardians of the Constitution”
Learning Objective: LO 2.3: Explain how the use of judicial
review strengthens the courts in a separation of powers system.
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Page Reference: 58
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
Diiculty Level: Easy
61. Article I describes the powers of the president.
Topic: Views of the Constitution
Learning Objective: LO 2.1: Describe the basic structure of
the Constitution and its Bill of Rights.
Page Reference: 50
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
Diiculty Level: Easy
62. Partisanship is a strong allegiance to one’s own political party,
often leading to unwillingness to compromise.
Topic: Checking Power with Power
Learning Objective: LO 2.2: Analyze how the Constitution
grants, limits, separates, and balances governmental power.
Page Reference: 55
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
Diiculty Level: Easy
63. As described in Figure 2.2, Four Methods of Amending the
Constitution, the Constitution can be amended by a two-thirds
majority vote by the states.
Topic: Changing the Letter of the Constitution
Learning Objective: LO 2.5: Describe the processes by which
formal changes to the Constitution can be made.
Page Reference: 65
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
Diiculty Level: Moderate
64. In 2014, the Idaho state legislature passed a bill making it legal
to carry a concealed weapon on a college campus.
Topic: Introduction
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Learning Objective: Introduction
Page Reference: 48
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
Diiculty Level: Easy
65. The main weakness of the Articles of Confederation was the lack
of a strong national government.
Topic: Checking Power with Power
Learning Objective: LO 2.2: Analyze how the Constitution
grants, limits, separates, and balances governmental power.
Page Reference: 53
Skill Level: Analyze It
Diiculty Level: Diicult
66. The U.S. Constitution is the oldest, and one of the shortest,
written constitutions in the world.
Topic: Introduction
Learning Objective: Introduction
Page Reference: 48
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
Diiculty Level: Easy
67. The Constitution deines the procedure of impeachment in great
detail and spells out which actions of a president are
impeachable.
Topic: Informal Change: The Unwritten Constitution
Learning Objective: LO 2.4: Assess how the Constitution has
evolved through changes in the informal, unwritten
Constitution.
Page Reference: 62
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
Diiculty Level: Moderate
68. Article III of the Constitution permits Congress to establish
lower national courts.
Topic: Views of the Constitution
Learning Objective: LO 2.1: Describe the basic structure of
the Constitution and its Bill of Rights.
Page Reference: 2.1
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
Diiculty Level: Easy
69. In the debate about the Patient Protection and Afordable Care
Act, the Supreme Court ruled that Congress had exceeded its
authority under Article I of the Constitution.
Topic: Informal Change: The Unwritten Constitution
Learning Objective: LO 2.4: Assess how the Constitution has
evolved through changes in the informal, unwritten
Constitution.
Page Reference: 62
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
Diiculty Level: Moderate
70. In interpreting the U.S. Constitution, an originalist would likely
draw on the writings and speeches of the Framers.
Topic: Informal Change: The Unwritten Constitution
Learning Objective: LO 2.4: Assess how the Constitution has
evolved through changes in the informal, unwritten
Constitution.
Page Reference: 63
Skill Level: Apply What You Know
Diiculty Level: Diicult
71. The adaptive approach to constitutional interpretation makes
the Supreme Court a more powerful institution in the U.S.
government.
Topic: Informal Change: The Unwritten Constitution
Learning Objective: LO 2.4: Assess how the Constitution has
evolved through changes in the informal, unwritten
Constitution.
Page Reference: 63
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Skill Level: Analyze It
Diiculty Level: Diicult
72. The president has no formal authority over constitutional
amendments.
Topic: Changing the Letter of the Constitution
Learning Objective: LO 2.5: Describe the processes by which
formal changes to the Constitution can be made.
Page Reference: 64
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
Diiculty Level: Moderate
73. Most constitutional amendments were ratiied within two years
of being proposed.
Topic: Changing the Letter of the Constitution
Learning Objective: LO 2.5: Describe the processes by which
formal changes to the Constitution can be made.
Page Reference: 66 – 67
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
Diiculty Level: Easy
Fill–in–the–Blank Questions
74. The __________ Amendment protects the right to bear arms.
Topic: Introduction
Learning Objective: Introduction
Page Reference: 48
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
Diiculty Level: Easy
75. The Constitution has been amended __________ times.
46
Topic: Changing the Letter of the Constitution
Learning Objective: LO 2.5: Describe the processes by which
formal changes to the Constitution can be made.
Page Reference: 64
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
Diiculty Level: Easy
76. The cases of District of Columbia v. Heller (2008) and McDonald
v. Chicago (2010) revolved around the __________ Amendment.
Topic: Introduction
Learning Objective: Introduction
Page Reference: 48
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
Diiculty Level: Moderate
77. The irst 10 amendments to the Constitution are called the
__________.
Topic: Views of the Constitution
Learning Objective: LO 2.1: Describe the basic structure of
the Constitution and its Bill of Rights.
Page Reference: 50
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
Diiculty Level: Easy
78. The __________ of powers is a key feature of the government
established by the Constitution.
Topic: Checking Power with Power
Learning Objective: LO 2.2: Analyze how the Constitution
grants, limits, separates, and balances governmental power.
Page Reference: 53
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
Diiculty Level: Easy
79. Part of the debate over health care reform centered on
congressional authority under the __________ clause of the
Constitution.
47
Topic: Informal Change: The Unwritten Constitution
Learning Objective: LO 2.4: Assess how the Constitution has
evolved through changes in the informal, unwritten
Constitution.
Page Reference: 2.4
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
Diiculty Level: Moderate
80. A(n) __________ is a type of government in which one person with
unlimited power rules.
Topic: Checking Power with Power
Learning Objective: LO 2.2: Analyze how the Constitution
grants, limits, separates, and balances governmental power.
Page Reference: 55
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
Diiculty Level: Easy
81. __________ is a strong allegiance to one’s own political party,
often leading to unwillingness to compromise with members of
the opposing party.
Topic: Checking Power with Power
Learning Objective: LO 2.2: Analyze how the Constitution
grants, limits, separates, and balances governmental power.
Page Reference: 55
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
Diiculty Level: Easy
82. Under the __________ approach to constitutional interpretation,
the document is assumed to be lexible and responsive to the
changing needs of the times.
Topic: Informal Change: The Unwritten Constitution
Learning Objective: LO 2.4: Assess how the Constitution has
evolved through changes in the informal, unwritten
Constitution.
Page Reference: 63
48
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
Diiculty Level: Moderate
83. Article II of the Constitution addresses the powers of the
__________ branch.
Topic: Views of the Constitution
Learning Objective: LO 2.1: Describe the basic structure of
the Constitution and its Bill of Rights.
Page Reference: 50
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
Diiculty Level: Easy
84. The __________ Amendment gave some former slaves the right to
vote.
Topic: Changing the Letter of the Constitution
Learning Objective: LO 2.5: Describe the processes by which
formal changes to the Constitution can be made.
Page Reference: 66
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
Diiculty Level: Moderate
85. The __________ Amendment was the only amendment to be
ratiied through special ratifying conventions.
Topic: Changing the Letter of the Constitution
Learning Objective: LO 2.5: Describe the processes by which
formal changes to the Constitution can be made.
Page Reference: 66
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
Diiculty Level: Moderate
86. Article VII speciied that at least __________ states would have to
ratify the Constitution for it to become law.
Topic: Views of the Constitution
49